XINING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese researchers have newly proposed a viable strategy for the adaptive management and sustainable development of perennial cultivated grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, according to the Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology (NWIPB) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
This 5-year reploughing strategy for Elymus nutans grasslands provides key empirical support for the scientific restoration and management of plateau-degraded grasslands, according to the NWIPB.
The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is a key ecological security barrier in China. Here, the construction of artificial grasslands is a major measure for restoring degraded grassland and the sustainable development of animal husbandry. By now, the total area of plateau artificial grassland on the plateau has reached around 16,470 square kilometers, according to He Fuquan, engineer at the NWIPB.
Elymus nutans, the most ecologically versatile and widely cultivated forage grass on this plateau, has been highly prized for its exceptional forage quality and sustained high yields.
Alongside the continued expansion of artificial grassland areas and the optimization of planting models, it is necessary to develop precise data on the productivity and carbon sequestration potential of artificial grasslands under various planting models, which remain scientific bottlenecks limiting the scientific management of artificial grasslands and the achievement of better ecological benefits.
To address critical knowledge gaps regarding specific planting and management strategies, the NWIPB study team conducted long-term in situ planting, observation, and investigation at a field scientific observation station for grassland ecosystems in Sanjiangyuan, where the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers originate, in northwest China's Qinghai Province.
Integrating in situ observation data over ten years and field investigations, the study team conducted a comprehensive assessment of the productivity benefits and carbon sequestration potential of two artificial grassland planting models, applied for five years and three years, respectively.
The results showed that artificial grassland established with Elymus nutans under a five-year planting model demonstrates significant advantages.
In terms of carbon sink function, the grassland can cumulatively store 6.64 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare over five years. In terms of economic benefits, within a five-year period, 2.73 tonnes of seeds and 19 tonnes of high-quality forage can be harvested per hectare, according to the study results.
Notably, the five-year planting model has maintained the water and light energy utilization efficiency of artificial grasslands at a high level, and the carbon utilization efficiency is stable by optimizing resource allocation.
This model has effectively addressed core resource constraints, such as water scarcity and fragile ecological conditions in plateau regions, thereby providing a feasible path to balance ecological protection and economic development, according to He.
"Our comprehensive in situ experiments and results will support restoring and managing plateau grasslands in a scientific manner," He added. ■
